We put our lovely spaghetti squash from the food bank farm to use with this recipe from www.fabulousfoods.com
This is an old standby-Yumm! We particularly enjoyed the delicious and delectable company of our friends Tim and Eric.



Spaghetti Squash With Vegetables and Mozzarella

Servings: 6
Author Notes: This recipe makes a veggie rich, cheesy casserole, almost like a lasagna. Spaghetti Squash substitutes for the role traditionally taken by pasta in such dishes for a delicious, lower calorie, low carb alternative.
Ingredients: 1 spaghetti squash, cooked by your favorite method and separated into strands (click here for instructions)
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
3-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 F. Mix the cheeses together, set aside.

Heat olive oil in a skillet and add the onion, pepper and garlic. Sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, basil, and crushed red pepper (if using). Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. Mix squash well with the cooked vegetables and put half in the bottom of a large (13 x 9 inch) baking dish. Top with half the cheese mixture, followed by the other half of the squash mixture, then the rest of the cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. Let cool 10-15 minutes before serving

Obama Family Linguine with Shrimp

Blue and I celebrated Obama's victory with our NH canvassing friends. We enjoyed a delicious meal and fine company. This recipe is easy and tasty. Enjoy!

OBAMA FAMILY LINGUINE AND SHRIMP RECIPE

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs fresh shrimp (shell on)
Several garlic cloves
Sun-dried tomatoes (sliced in olive oil)
Chicken broth
1 box linguini
Fresh basil (julienned)
1 tbsp olive oil
Cooking Instructions

Clean, de-vein shrimp. Remove shells and let soak in hot chicken broth.

Thinly slice garlic. (The more garlic, the better the flavor of the dish).

Cook pasta and set aside. (Important not to over cook pasta)

In large sauté pan, heat olive oil on high heat and sauté garlic cloves until they begin to brown slightly.

Add fresh shrimp and cook until just beginning to turn pick. Add salt and pepper to flavor shrimp.

Add sun-dried tomatoes and continue to cook for another minute.

Add pasta. Mix pasta into the garlic, shrimp and sun-dried tomato mixture until pasta coated entirely with mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Slowly add a bit of the shrimp shell and chicken broth liquid to remove reserves from bottom of pan.

Remove pan from heat and let sit for a few moments.

Add basil over top of dish before serving.

Recipe Notes

Maple-Hazelnut Oatmeal

As a continuation to my previous post about my romance with my slow cooker I have a recipe for a wonderful Maple-Hazelnut Oatmeal. The weather is starting to get chilly and this is a wonderful thing to wake up to on a cold morning. It's even possible on a work day when you have to rush out the door. The recipe calls for steel-cut oats, which is sometimes referred to as Irish Oatmeal. These are a bit chewier than the more common rolled oats, take longer to cook, and are a nutritional powerhouse! Give this a try, you won't be disappointed!

• 1 1/2 cups of fat-free milk
• 1 1/2 cups of water
• 2 Gala apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
• 1 cup uncooked steel-cut oats
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter, softened
• 1/3 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons of chopped hazelnuts, toasted

1. Bring milk and water to a boil in a sacuepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.
2. Place hot milk mixture, apple, and next 5 ingredients into a 3-quart electric slow cooker coated with cooking spray, stir well.
3. Cover and cook on LOW 7 hours or until oats are tender.
4. Ladle oatmeal into individual bowls; top with maple syrup and hazelnuts.
   

Yield: 4 Servings (serving size is 1 1/2 cups of oatmeal, 1 tablespoon of syrup, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of hazelnuts). Calories - 341, Fat 9.2g, Fiber 5.5 g - This is very filling and 1/2 serving was enough for me for a hearty breakfast!

My Romance with My Slow Cooker

There is something about the advent of fall that quickens the beat of my heart. The colors, the chill in the air, donning a sweater and the first fire in the fireplace. All of this goes hand in hand with stews and roasts. I recently bought a slow cooker and have had so much fun trying some new recipes. The slow cooker is truly a miracle appliance. My experience with it until now has been the joy of just chopping up a bunch of things, mixing it up, and enjoying a fabulous meal a few hours later. To me, the slowness of the cooking is a benefit. By the time the food is ready, I've almost forgotten the labor, the kitchen has been cleaned, and it feels like someone else has made me dinner. Over the next couple of days I'm going to post some of the new recipes that I've tried in my slow cooker. I'll start tonight with a wonderful pork roast, perfect for a chilly fall night. Once again, the picture doesn't do it any justice. My photographer wasn't available at the time.

Christine - I know the air is a bit nippier up there than it is here. What are you doing with your slow cooker these days?

Pork with Dried Fruit and Squash
(from Cooking Light Slow Cooker - 2006)

• 1 (3-pound) boneless pork loin roast, trimmed
• 1/3 cup, packed brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon of grated fresh ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1/2 cup dried apricots
• 1/2 cup bite-sized pitted dried plums
• 1 (1 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• Rosemary sprigs (for garnish)
  

1. Cut pork roast in half, crosswise. (If necessary, my slow cooker is oval and the roast fit perfectly).
   
2. Combine brown sugar and next 4 ingredients in a bowl and rub pork evenly with sugar mixture.
3. Place pork in 4 1/2 quart slow cooker and arrange dried fruit and squash around pork.
4. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour.
5. Reduce heat and cook on LOW 6-7 hours until pork fruit and squash are tender.
6. Cut pork into thin slices and serve with butternut squash and fruit mixture.
7. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired.

OBAMA Food

Can you tell your political leanings by the food you eat? According to an article in the New York Times you can. See the article What's for Dinner? This Pollster wants to know.

I also found out a little bit about the tastes of Obama. Breakfast usually consists of eggs, potatoes and toast. He has a favorite chili recipe he makes that you can find on-line. I'll be trying his favorite soup from Topolobampo in Chicago-Sopa Azteca-if I can find the ingredients. His favorite veggies are spinach and broccoli. Alas, he is not a fan of asparagus.

I'm sure once he is elected president, we will learn more about his food tastes.